A study by Mintel on consumer trust reveals that over half (56%) of German consumers are more likely to trust a company if it manufactures products in Germany. This positive attitude towards locally manufactured food and drink products is especially high among women, with 58% who are more likely to trust a brand that produces in Germany, compared to 53% of male consumers.

Made in Germany is an important purchase consideration for a significant proportion of consumers in Germany, serving as a synonym for high quality and great taste. German consumers want to know where their food comes from and where and how ingredients are sourced.

Knowing the origin of their food also seems to be important to German consumers, with 53% agreeing that they are more likely to trust a food and drink product if the packaging explains where the ingredients are sourced. Young consumers are the most likely to find this appealing, with 59% of 16-24 year old agreeing with this statement, compared to 47% of 35-44-year-olds.

However, it appears that too much information on the packaging — such as long descriptions and too many claims and logos — can backfire, as 32% of German consumers said that excessive information on food and drink packaging can make it hard to trust a brand, reports Mintel.

Trust in the food and drink industry in Germany is stable compared to other countries. While 48% of Germans agree that they trust the food and drink industry as a whole to ensure food and drink is safe for consumption, this number drops to 37% in Poland and 27% in Italy.

“Made in Germany is an important purchase consideration for a significant proportion of consumers in Germany, serving as a synonym for high quality and great taste,” says Julia Büch, food and drink analyst at Mintel. “German consumers want to know where their food comes from and where and how ingredients are sourced.”

Additionally, Mintel research finds that German consumers are more likely to trust small businesses than large corporations. While 41% of the adult consumers agree to have more trust in smaller businesses, only 12% state the opposite — that they do not trust smaller corporations more than large businesses. A significant portion of the support for smaller corporations seems to stem from more experienced generations: 45% of consumers aged over 55 say they that smaller-sized businesses appear more trustworthy to them.

When a company does make an error, however, it seems that German consumers are able to forgive and forget. As many as 42% of German consumers say that as long as the company owns up to their mistakes and responds quickly, they can be forgiven. This is particularly the case with younger consumers, with 47% of 16-24-year-olds saying they are willing to forgive a company for past mistakes, as long as the company addresses these quickly, according to Mintel.

“While trust in the food and drink industry in Germany is still comparatively high compared to other major European markets, there is still some uncertainty,” Büch says. “By referencing origin of ingredients and showing transparency, companies can gain the trust of German consumers.”

About the Author

Posted by members of the Shop! Team and editorial staff of Retail Environments magazine.